Jul. 29--PASADENA -- Solar-generated power is destined to play an increasingly bigger role in our nation's energy network.

And Parsons Corp., an engineering and construction firm headquartered in Pasadena, is helping to make that happen.

Parsons announced this week that it has partnered with Spanish-based TSK to bring Concentrating Solar Power (CSP) technology applications to companies in North America and the Middle East.

CSP technology allows a business to not only gather solar energy, but also store the heat it generates in molten salts for later power generation when the sun isn't shining.

This allows companies to draw upon solar power 24 hours a day if needed.

The method uses lenses or parabolic mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam.

The heat can then be converted to steam, which powers a turbine to generate electricity.

"We really think this is cutting-edge stuff," said Mike Brady, a senior vice president with Parsons. "This is the next generation for solar, and it has come at the right time. The nation really needs solar power."

Parsons has the ability to deliver large solar projects from the planning and environmental permitting stages all the way through startup.

TSK, a leader in the engineering and electrical equipment sector, currently is completing two CSP projects in Spain that incorporate thermal storage-storing heat in molten salts.

Spain

has long been a leader in solar power, driven by long-term support from the Spanish government.

Parsons said utilities and power districts will be able to draw upon CSP technology as a renewable power source "to meet large-scale renewable power requirements."

"We have not signed any contracts or projects yet, but there is certainly a great deal of interest from utility companies for this application," Brady said, adding that Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas & Electric will likely have a strong interest in the solar applications.

Parsons Group President Mike Walsh figures the market for this kind of solar technology will be broad.

"CSP with thermal storage should find a very large market in the Sunbelt of North America and throughout the Middle East," he said in a statement.

Sue Kateley, executive director of the California Solar Energy Industries Association, noted that California will require utility companies to get 20 percent of their energy from renewable energy sources by next year.

But the state, she said, hopes to boost that percentage.

"We're looking at increasing that to 33 percent," she said. "But we need to do more if we're going to meet those goals. The industry has to have a consciousness of reducing costs so it's more competitive and reduces the cost for ratepayers."

Southern California Edison, a unit of Edison International in Rosemead, is currently the nation's leading purchaser of renewable energy.

Last year the utility purchased 12.5 billion kilowatt-hours of renewable energy, enough to account for about 16 percent of SCE's total energy portfolio.

Six percent of SCE's renewable portfolio was generated by solar-generated power.

Brady said the Parsons/TSK partnership lends itself to President Barack Obama's strong push to promote and fund renewable energy sources.

"The Obama administration has bought a lot of forward-thinking to their energy policies," he said. "We're going to be targeting certain companies where we could apply this technology, and we'll be meeting with them."

kevin.smith@sgvn.com

626) 962-8811, Ext. 2701

-----

To see more of the San Gabriel Valley Tribune or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sgvtribune.com.

Copyright (c) 2009, San Gabriel Valley Tribune, West Covina, Calif.

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

NYSE:EIX,

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.